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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · present · mate · foot · hand · pitcher · racket · straw

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — the time now
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mate — a partner
  13. foot — a measure
  14. mate — to breed
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. hand — help
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. saw — the tool
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. hand — in cards
  23. present — there
  24. foot — part of the body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com